Label for cans



y 1941. R. RQWN 2,242,172

, LABEL F R CANS Filed Aug. 25, 1939 Wan @mm,

1N VENTOR.

I ATTORNEY.

Patented May 13, 1941 LABEL FOR CANS Robert Rea Brown, New Canaan, Conn., assignor to Outserts, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 26, 1939, Serial No. 292,027

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a label for cans or other containers which have a depression within the area upon which the label is to be placed. It is particularly usefulin places where it is desired to have labels quickly attached to cans and the like by machinery or label-attaching devices in such a way that the labels are held against accidental removal but can be easily detached.

whenever desired.

In carrying out this invention it is not necessary to use more than a spot of adhesive, and the labels are held in place sufiiciently securely for commercial purposes and at the same time the edges or margins of the labels are not glued down, thus making the labels more readily removable than would otherwise be the case.

It is well known that with certain containers, such as cans, for example, the tops are so constructed that the portions near the rim stick out or project farther from the can than do the intermediate portions. Therefore, when it is attempted to attach labels to the tops of such cans by adhesive intermediate the edges of the label, the high projecting portions of the cans or tops thereof cause the resilient flexible labels to spring out and become detached unless an inordinately long time is permitted for the adhesive to dry when the labels are attached. This renders it impracticable to attach such labels by machinery.

By the present invention labels can be attached to surfaces of this character in a very rapid manner by machinery, and such labels are sufliciently securely held in place but can be detached when desired.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating an embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a can top or cover with a label attached thereto, and Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, reference character I indicates a circular top or cover for a can that is provided with a downwardly-turned rim 2 around its edge. An annular portion 3 is provided to receive the edge of the open end of the can. A series of annular corrugations 4 is indicated for strengthening the top or cover. A fiat circular portion 5 is left at the middle in the usual way and extends or projects into the can farther than the remaining portions when the top or cover is in place on the can.

Reference character 6 indicates a disc-shaped label which may be made of paper or other flexible material on which printing matter may be placed. One or more tabs or tongues! preferably somewhat triangularly shaped and preferably near the middle of the label are struck out from the label 6 so that the free ends and a considerable part of the remainder thereof can be moved or pressed to lie in contact with the circular portion 5 of the top or cover without springing or bending the disc 5 itself. Each one of these struck-out tabs or tongues has one end left integral with the disc 6 but can be bent along the dotted line 8 without becoming detached from the label. The tabs 1 may be bent at 9, leaving portions 10 lying flat in contact with the portion 5 of the cover.

In using this invention adhesive is preferably applied to the top of the can where the ends of the tabs will be brought into contact therewith, or the lower sides of the extending or free portions of the tabs 1 may have adhesive applied thereto. When the labels 6 are applied the central portion thereof or the tabs 1 are pressed down and brought into contact with the portion 5, thus causing the adhesive to attach the free end portions of the tabs to the can top as indicated at ll. When the pressure is removed and the label 6 recovers its normal fiat position it is thus kept attached to the container by means of the tabs. Or the free end portions only of the tabs may be brought into contact with the can top without bending the labels 6 appreciably, thus attaching the label to the can top.

Instead of using disc-shaped labels, labels of other sorts may be used, such as the labels shown in my prior Patents 1,896,834 and 2,127,081, for example.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an article having a depressed area with oppositely disposed raised portions and a label spanning said depressed area, said label being flexible and having edge portions thereof resting upon said raised portions, and a tab attached at one end to said label intermediate its edges for holding said label in place, said tab being flexible and having its end portion attached to said depressed area of said article.

2. A label as in claim 1, made of paper.

3. A label as in claim 1, in which the tab is integral with the label.

4. A label as in claim 1, in which the tab is near the center of said label.

5. In combination, a can having a shoulder at its end defining a depressed area inwardly of its end bead and a label resting upon said shoulder and having a tab with an adhesive coated end parallel to but in a plane spaced from that of said label in contact with said depressed area and securing said label thereto.

6. A label as in claim 5, in which the free end of said tab is wider than its other end.

ROBT. R. BROWN. 

